Season Two Episode One | The house now stands as a blank canvas—honest, straightforward, and gracefully devoid of pretension and sham. It is ready to live on for another 235 years and, one hopes, will find the same loving stewardship afforded a house and landscape of such Provincial and, dare I say, National importance! This house is, without question, the most well-preserved domestic Georgian I have ever had the pleasure of visiting and exploring.
Tag: Edifice Magazine
Pond Bridge c1790 | This may be your dream home
This beautifully restored house is now for sale | Located on a private 38 acre island in Nova Scotia, Canada
Benefits of Wooden Storm Windows for Energy Efficiency
Yes, it’s that time of the year. There is a little nip in the air that reminds you to get those storm windows installed. Why not just replace the most character defining element on your home, with plastic windows you ask! Do you know why they are called replacement windows? It’s because you will have to replace them over and over again! Let’s go over a bit of “What-To”, even a bit of science.
Help Me! Where Do I Start My RENO!
I get asked all the time by clients – how do I start my renovation? The most important document is a plan of renovation and preservation. Rather than bulldozing ahead and tearing-out remodeling of past owners and trying to renovate or preserve piecemeal, the home owner needs a written plan and a well thought out schedule before he or she starts the work.
Ask the Old Home Doctor | Asbestos in Heating Ducts!
I have a question that I was hoping Dr. Cooper could answer. I live in a 1913 home in Aurora, Ontario. We had the home inspected and we were told that there is asbestos in the heating grates. (We have metal heating grates on the wall and between the metal duct and the wall is…
Don’t be Afraid of Colour! | Old Home Living Episode Four
Don’t be Afraid of Colour! | Old Home Living Streaming Television Episode Four
Powder Room Perfection | Edifice Magazine
Bringing all these elements together helped create a space that is both warm and inviting. Even though this room is only 18 square feet, paying attention to the little details can create a huge impact in a small area.
Building Small in Nova Scotia – Live and Hands-On!
Join us for the most immersive building small workshop available. Gain the experience and confidence to build your very own humble or tiny house, cottage (Airbnb), backyard studio, addition, roadside stand or shed by working with real materials and tools… under the direction of your “Building Small” expert with 44 years of hands-on experience Dr. Christopher Cooper, Architect.
Company Is Coming | Saturday June 3rd
Saturday June 3rd – This Weekend! Company is Coming at the Yellow Farmhouse.
Antiques Elixir Vol. One | Company is Coming at the Yellow Farmhouse
Antiques and old-world charm bring me joy. It’s the warmth I feel when surrounded by early painted furniture burned with years of built-up patina. I am in my happy place when surrounded by old textiles, quilts, samplers, folk art etc.… It is all beautiful to me.
Beau Pré In the Beginning | Chapter One
“Welcome to Paradise”!!! I replied: “The House or the Town”??? Rick Replied: “Oh geeze… definitely the town”!!!
Heritage Building Pathology | Professional Intensive Program
There is a critical shortage of heritage professionals who perform Building Pathology on the vast stock of older houses and commercial buildings across Canada and the United States.
Bits and Pieces | A Restoration How-To Project
During the restoration of timber elements such as doors, windows, etc., the inevitability of tearing the wood is frequent and sometimes unavoidable.
Tin Ceiling Conundrum!
The kitchen has been driving me crazy, mainly because it was in the most miserable condition of all! The tin ceiling had great chunks of lead based paint dangling from it, hmm images of a big pot of stew or soup simmering on the stove with paint chips floating down into it like autumn leaves!
Inspiring Yellow | A Centrefold
INSPIRATION – Yellow Houses
A Heritage Landscape | Neo-Classical Fence
This lovely 18th century house (circa 1716) is located north of Boston, Massachusetts. These images were taken in the early 1930’s and are a record of both the building and this most remarkable wood fence. I would surmise the fence would date from the mid 19th century, but it has a very Neo-Classical flavour to the design so it could even be earlier.
The Eastlake Movement | House Spotting
Eastlake – is it a man, a piece of furniture or an architectural design style?
Floorcloths | A Fashionable History
Floorcloths or “Oylcloths” are first mentioned in Britain at the beginning of the eighteenth century. They were painted by humble house painters and often offered in the classical designs used for marble floors by the fashionable architects of the day.
The Jacobean Revival | Style Guide
During the last two decades of the nineteenth and first two decades of the twentieth century, American and Canadian architects became well entrenched in the British Arts & Crafts movement, with some embracing elements of the Tudor and Jacobean Revival house styles of the time.
Waterside | A Subscriber Story
“Bulldoze it”, the man said. “It’s going to fall down; it’s too far gone”.
Wood Shingles | A Once Ubiquitous Crown
Their contractor warned wood shingles was more expensive and yet also, not as good. Their contractor was a coward. That last one was my assertion, and it still is!
Ingledale House | A Hidden Gem
The jewel in the crown of this splendid building is the 12 over 12 sash windows flanking the central door (where in most Neoclassical design would favour sidelights) with the second floor duplicated for symmetry. Usually, Neoclassical houses follow the form of its earlier interpretation, the Georgian (which the original 1815 house in the rear did) with a typical five-bay symmetry. However, in this case the house is decidedly asymmetrical with the central window and door arrangement.
A Fine View | Belvedere
Belvedere is a room built above the roof for the purpose of obtaining a “fine view” (literal Italian translation).
Adding Character to a Wartime House
Our first long term project home is our frame Victory house built in 1947 located in Brantford, Ontario Canada.
Victorian Cottage Make Over
This project is a clear example of what almost any amateur couple can do with a little fore sight and discipline. Money is one of the lesser parts of the equation.
The Building Collector – The man who saved these amazing buildings that would have been destroyed forever!
There was once a little boy who collected bottle caps and candy wrappers, baseball cards and butterflies. This was followed by stamps, coins and cacti. And later still, antiquarian books, collectibles and antique furniture. And, finally, buildings. The latter being the most interesting by far. Now, at age 60, this same little boy; namely myself…
How-To Project One – Prop-It!
Summer is here and it is always nice to prop open your old fashioned guillotine windows (a window devoid of weights and pulleys) and take advantage of cool evening breezes. The problem with this is what to use other than a book (see Image 1). During our visit to the east coast a couple of…
Verandah Valhalla
And now I leave you with these thoughts… there is nothing which better creates curb appeal, character and makes a house a home than a beautifully maintained and loved wooden verandah.
Abandoned Island
I have great affection for abandoned houses. I find them beautiful and somewhat sad in their attempt to prop themselves up and not become merely dust in the landscape. Every-so-often I find myself so enamored with a long forgotten edifice that it almost haunts me, as did a little house I stumbled upon during a…
Don’t Be Afraid of Red!
I enjoy exploring older neighborhoods and looking at the older homes. I pay particular attention to the architectural details and the paint colours used, as this is my special interest. Many people have a fear of painting their house a bold colour such as red however red is a fabulous colour to make both a…
Through the Garden Gate – A Lookbook
A garden gate becomes an attractive focal point for curb appeal and a welcoming portal to what wonderful delights await on the other side; a loved and cared for garden or the charming and perfectly restored house.
Old Home Living 